Knitting

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Stash-Busting Afghan Projects

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The first thing I think of when I think of stash busting is a really big blanket. I guess that’s because I’m working on a really big blanket, and have been on and off (mostly off, admittedly) for about a year now. It’s in strips that are 6 feet long, and I’m hoping to make it 6 feet wide, if I can stand it that long (there is no worry of running out of yarn before it’s that size). It will be massively huge, heavy, warm, completely unwashable and awesome. And it will use a lot of yarn.

You can find more Stash Busting Knitting patterns here

I guess that’s the main reason afghans and stash busting go together, because they’re a great way to use up a lot of yarn. You can make individual squares with the different colors, or just let it stripe, or make log cabin blocks and sew them together. (Speaking of log cabins, check out the Parcheesi Afghan by Janine Bajus, which combines log cabin squares and garter stitch borders.

You don’t really need a pattern for a project like this. It can be as simple as knitting long strips and sewing them together when you’re done (as in this project, Blankety-Blank, from Completely Cauchy), which has the benefit of being more portable than my join as you go method. If you want a slightly more organized look, try the N² Imaginations Stashbuster Afghan.stash busting

Mitered squares are another great choice for stash-busting, because you can make them small or large and they’re really portable and easy once you get the hang of the shaping. The Stained Glass Mitered Afghan by Joan L. Hamer is a beauty and a free Ravelry download.  Looking for more Stained glass style knitting patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

Looking for a shape that’s not quite square? Why not knit “squares” that are shaped like fish, as in this project from April Broken? Or try Frankie Brown’s little buttons, which are still square but are filled with fluff to make a puffy blanket. (Frankie also has the amazing 10-Stitch Blanket, which is worked in a squareish spiral so that you never have more than 10 stitches on the needle at a time.)

If you want to get really crazy, check out the Oddball Sampler Afghan by Sarah Bradberry, which is made up of all sorts of different squares.

And if you’re willing to pay for a pattern, the beekeeper’s quilt by tiny owl knits is a classic with its puffy hexies. Lee Meredith also has a cool-looking project in her Color-by-Number Stash-Busting Blanket, which uses fun tricks for minimal finishing.

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Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.